The Latest: Chief justice nominee narrowly clears House

Updated 4:58 pm, Monday, March 12, 2018

The House of Representatives has narrowly voted to confirm Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's nominee for chief justice of Connecticut's highest court, moving the debate over Andrew McDonald's fate to the Senate.

The House voted 75-to-74 Monday in favor of elevating the associate justice to the State Supreme Court's top job.

A handful of Democrats and nearly every Republican opposed McDonald, one of the most politically charged judicial nominees in recent memory.

While his supporters call the former state senator a fair-minded, brilliant jurist, his detractors question whether he can be trusted to recuse himself from ruling on policies made during Malloy's administration.

His nomination now moves to the Senate, where there are an equal number of Republicans and Democrats. One Democrat has already recused herself from voting.

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1:50 p.m.

The nomination of Connecticut Supreme Court Justice Andrew McDonald to become the court's chief justice has cleared the first step in a two-step process in the House of Representatives.

Members voted 79-69 on Monday to overturn an unfavorable recommendation by the General Assembly's Judiciary Committee, allowing debate to begin on Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's nominee. It has become one of the most politically charged judicial nominations in recent memory, complete with robocalls and TV ads.

Veteran Republican Rep. Arthur O'Neill said he couldn't recall a time when the House has overturned an unfavorable recommendation of a nominee by the Judiciary Committee.

McDonald has served as an associate justice for five years.

If confirmed, he'd be the first openly gay state Supreme Court chief justice in the U.S.

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The nomination of Connecticut Supreme Court Justice Andrew McDonald to be the court's chief justice is going before the House of Representatives.

The nomination by Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has become one of the most politically charged judicial nominations in recent memory.

Republicans and conservative groups have accused McDonald of legislating from the bench, a claim he and his supporters deny. Some Democrats claim the Republican opposition stems from McDonald being gay, which the GOP denies.

The House is scheduled to debate and vote on the nomination Monday.

Democrats hold a slim majority in the House. There are an equal number of Democrats and Republicans in the Senate, but one Democrat has recused herself from voting.

If confirmed, McDonald would be the first openly gay state Supreme Court chief justice in the U.S.